PRUNING. 211 



of choice peach trees. It ia, however, much better to prune and train 

 skilfully from the first, when the sacrifice of time and space incident to 

 all plans pf regeneration would be avoided. 



Perhaps a few words ought to be added on the time to prune peaches in 



Fis. 4S. 



the open air. The practice of cultivators has undergone an entire change in 

 regard to this matter within a few years. The pruning is now generally 



Fia. 46. 

 left tiU the trees are almost in bloom, or, say, tiU February or March. 

 This delay is generally admitted to have a considerable influence in 

 retarding the blooming of peaches and nectarines. Each week or day's 

 delay in the opening of the blossom buds increases the probability of a 



